Earth Hour 2009

At 8:30PM tonight local time, a lot of folks are turning off their lights in support of Earth Hour 2009.
It's not only an opportunity to save energy and (perhaps the planet), but it will give us a chance to reacquaint ourselves with the night-time sky.
Then again, some other folks are saying we should turn on as many lights as possible.

Be sure to switch on every light in your home between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. tonight as a way to protest this madness. 

We report. You decide who's the wingnut.

Since this is a blog about work, let's have a look at some jobs.

A few collected links regarding jobs.

10 Jobs You Didn’t Hear About On Career Day	Gong Farmer cleans toilets and gets to keep the spare change that he finds. After five years, they give me a brush." on
Webmaster for world peace	Best job title ever.
The 10 Best Jobs in America Today	#7 is historian. A search for historian jobs on their web site, however, has 18 leads, not a lot.
The 10 Worst Jobs in America Today	Hint: cue Monty Python Lumberjack Song on
Unskilled and Unaware of It	There's a lot of research coming out that describes how we, consistently and confidently, overestimate our abilities. Most people describe themselves as above average in abilities. The people who are most accurate in predicting their abilities are the ones who believe that they're not good at something.
Your Job When You Grow Up	From Scott Adams's blog: I was thinking of this recently while working with a Dilbert licensee. They make fluorescent light diffusers for your office ceiling, with images such as the sky with clouds, or Dilbert characters looking down at your cube. Very cool: www.skyscapes.biz So I imagine 5-year old Timmy, when asked what he wants to do for a career, answering “When I grow up, I want to make fluorescent light diffusers with Dilbert characters. They are the perfect item for adding some visual relief to drab cubicle farms.” Timmy would die a virgin.
Will Work for Praise: The Web's Free-Labor Economy	Increasingly, web sites are relying on unpaid staff because writers are so vain that they'll do almost anything to get their names out there they're desperate (or naïve) enough to think that this will lead to a paying gig.

And, of course, on some days, neither you nor your appliances should work at all. For those days, your appliances can have Sabbath Mode.

Morning stock report

It's good to see the EMC is doing fairly well. It's an important part of our regional economy, employing approximately 9,000 employees in Massachusetts.
Nevertheless, Google, all-wise, all-knowing, saw fit to dump the announcement of EMC's annual meetinginto my Gmail Spam folder.

Crime in suburbia

Holden

Monday, March 16

12:38 p.m. Student at high school walked out because he's mad at school, came to PD to make phone call
1:18 p.m. Suspicious person in car in lot at Big Y
2:14 p.m. License found in street
7:40 p.m. Dog thrown from motor vehicle; taken to vet
8:03 p.m. Caller reports someone hit her dog and took it to vet

Tuesday, March 17

2:54 a.m. Large stone in travel lane on Rte. 31; it rolled off hill; DPW informed
1:10 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle on Quinapoxet St., truck with two occupants; placing flyers in mailboxes

Wednesday, March 18

1:01 p.m. Suspicious person at business on Main St.

9:40 a.m. Well-being check on Wachusett St.
11:30 a.m. Arrest: [name-and-address withheld], disturbing a school assembly

5:18 p.m. Fire department personnel investigating illegal burn on Putnam Lane confronted by homeowner and friend who was drunk and became confrontational

Thursday, March 19

5:50 a.m. Party hit dog on Glenwood St.


1:47 p.m. Tree/log in road on Reservoir St.
4:00 p.m. Site manager for Walgreens reports local carpenters' union will be picketing in front of building; asking for extra patrols

Friday, March 20

4:40 a.m. Party on Boulder Hill Rd. delivering papers
7:48 a.m. Unruly kids reported waiting for bus on Reservoir St.; kids throwing rocks and harassing other children
10:07 a.m. Dead animal on Shrewsbury St.
7:48 p.m. Walk-in concerned about e-Bay transaction
8:10 p.m. Caller reporting text message regarding Walmart gang initiations
8:27 p.m. Neighborhood dispute on Marlen Rd.
9:13 p.m. Male party crawling across parking lot on Reservoir St.; declined medical assistance
11:53 p.m. Vehicle in lot on Main St. unoccupied

Saturday, March 21

9:37 a.m. Mountview principal reports absent student; told parents he wouldn't go and they'd never see him again; son later returned home
10:34 a.m. Motorist thinks he's being followed
4:52 p.m. Group of teens interfering with children's play on Holden St.
10:37 p.m. Flashing yellow light at Walgreen's construction site

Sunday, March 22

5:50 p.m. Inquiry about old Holden High School

Paxton

Monday, March 16

1:09 a.m. Car hit deer, Pleasant St. No injuries, animal located on nearby front lawn.
9:31 a.m. Illegal dumping, including microwave at Boynton Park
3:58 p.m. Anna Maria College security called regarding a loose dog on campus

Tuesday, March 17

10:18 a.m. Power out at Police Station, West St.
5:45 p.m. Resident reporting her power out, Marshall St.
10:05 p.m. Caller reporting tap water has been brown for hours, Grove St.

Wednesday, March 18

8:54 a.m. Caller reporting a cardboard box in Marshall St.

Thursday, March 19

2:57 a.m. Officer issued parking ticket for sidewalk obstruction, West St.
2:32 p.m. Caller reporting erratic operator on Rte. 122 heading for the center of town. Vehicle intercepted, operator was putting on make-up while driving.
4:00 p.m. Suspicious auto, Pleasant St. It's Historical Commission taking photographs.
8:20 p.m. Professional landscaper using property at Howe's reporting residents are dumping at the property and should not be doing so
10:45 p.m. Suspicious auto reported at Paxton Market Place. Parties said they were too lazy to drive to Munchees and were waiting for a delivery. Told not to wait there again and sent on their way.

Friday, March 20

10:57 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout with child still in car, Paxton Center School

Saturday, March 21

8:29 p.m. Worcester PD advising several erratic SUVs heading toward Paxton

Sunday, March 22

4:19 p.m. Officer flagged down by Marshall St. residents reporting large, white dog hanging around their yard for a couple of hours. No tags.

Princeton

Monday, March 16

1:42 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Pine Hill Rd.

Tuesday, March 17

11:43 a.m. Request for animal control officer on Rte. 140 North
11:57 a.m. Assist animal control officer, Town Hall Dr.
4:17p.m. Report of erratic operation of school bus, Sterling Rd.

Wednesday, March 18

6:58 a.m. Assist fire department, Worcester Rd.
7:45 a.m. Traffic control duty, Sterling Rd.
10:28 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Wheeler Rd.

Thursday, March 19

2:02 a.m. Public service, Fitchburg Rd.
3:12 a.m. Suspicious person, Rte. 140 North
2:00 p.m. Person came to station to ask for animal control officer, Town Hall Dr.
6:10 p.m. Suspicious person, Blood Rd.

Friday, March 20

2:17 p.m. Property found, Hubbardston Rd.
7:22 p.m. Public service, Ball Hill Rd.

Saturday, March 21

5:19 p.m. Public service, Mountain Rd.
5:43 p.m. Lost property, Mountain Rd.

Sunday, March 22

2:03 p.m. Property found, Ball Hill Rd.

Rutland

Monday, March 16

5:22 p.m. Person complaining about skateboarders, Main St.
5:38 p.m. Caller has locked herself out of her home and has food in the oven on Bigelow Rd.

Thursday, March 19

5:28 a.m. Large beaver removed from road, Barre Paxton Rd.
12:40 p.m. Caller wants vehicle removed from property. Police will advise vehicle owner
12:43 p.m. Person wants to file report about damage done to driveway by truck that got stuck, Bushy Lane
6:02 p.m. Request that radar enforcement be set up on Glenwood Rd.

Friday, March 20

3:26 p.m. Person wants to be fingerprinted, Main St.

Saturday, March 21

9:42 a.m. Loose cows, Pommogussett Rd.
12:27 p.m. Elderly man trying to hitch-hike, Main St.

7:35 p.m. Person came to station to report a skateboard hat was stolen

Sunday, March 22

8:01 p.m. Report that tenants are being loud, banging things, Maple Ave.

Sterling

Monday, March 16

8:23 a.m. Raccoon removed from roadway, Worcester Rd.
9:01 a.m. Officer investigation, Leominster Rd.
9:43 a.m. Caller requesting assistance for computer Web site communications her child has been involved with, Pratts Jct. Rd.
10:28 a.m. Top of cash register found, Pratts Jct. Rd.

Tuesday, March 17

7:24 a.m. Report of two horses grazing in yard on Osgood Rd.

Wednesday, March 18

7:08 a.m. Report of dog running loose on I-190 Dog caught, owner found

Thursday, March 19

11:45 p.m. Report of cows in road in area of Rte. 62 and Lancaster town line

Friday, March 20

3:39 p.m. Caller stating a backhoe was dropped off in her front yard, didn't order any work. Found to be wrong address, Belmont Dr.

Saturday, March 21

10:24 a.m. White dog with brown spots running around intersection of Chocksett Rd and Rte 12.

12:38 p.m. Person wants to file a complaint about noise from the firing range, Beaman Rd.

Offered without (much) comment

IBM has cut as many as 5,000 jobs in its Services group, sending some of the work and jobs to India. Meanwhile, the company is seeking stimulus money.

Objects in the right-side mirror are closer than they appear

When I needed to leave work for medical reasons, my doctor made me promise that I wouldn't spend my days watching the Jerry Springer show. I've kept that promise. Admittedly, I do spend time keeping track of the goings-on of some the conservative bloggers and news sources. It's probably not a healthy practice, but I hope that it's a public service.
When I refer to conservatives, I don't mean Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan, or the denizens of Fox News. The brownfields of the far right are much more compelling. (Although Fox News correspondent Major Garrett did ask a question about global currency at last night's news conference. A global currency, you see, is part of Barack-Obama-the-AntiChrist's plan for a New World Order.)
Two of the major themes that occupy these adroit thinkers are the threat of a Constitutional Convention and whether Barack Obama is really a native-born citizen.
On the matter of a Constitutional Convention, starting quite a few years ago, there was a move to have a constitutional amendment that would require that the federal government have a balanced budget. Many states passed resolutions in favor of such a convention.
Well, it turns out that, now, there's a tremendous amount of fear that Barack Obama and the forces that he represents would hijack the convention and have a massive rewrite of the constitution, eliminating most of the Bill of Rights,
From WorldNet Daily

"Don't for one second doubt that delegates to a Con Con wouldn't revise the First Amendment into a government-controlled privilege, replace the 2nd Amendment with a 'collective' right to self-defense, and abolish the 4th, 5th, and 10th Amendments, and the rest of the Bill of Rights," said the warning from the American Policy Center.
"Additions could include the non-existent separation of church and state, the 'right' to abortion and euthanasia, and much, much more," the group said.

• The Battle to Stop the Constitutional Convention
• Act now to reject Constitutional Convention
• A Constitutional Convention - there are no limitations - be careful what wish for

Meanwhile, various groups are petitioning the Supreme Court to have President Obama's citizenship credentials reviewed. WND provides us with a summary of the bidding so far along with a Petition for public release of Barack Hussein Obama's birth certificate.

• BORN IN THE USA? Justice, Supremes confirm getting eligibility challenge Taitz documents demanding proof of Obama's birthplace to be reviewed
  
• USDOJ: Office of Solicitor General AND SCOTUS!
  

State of business in other great white north

How about this? The Swedish government isn't planning to bail out Saab. More from the New York Times: Sweden Says No to Saving Saab
Meanwhile, in Finland, the Helsingin Sanomat reports that Royal Caribbean seeks additional financing from Finland for ship deals.
Wasn't there a time when businesses went to banks or maybe GE, borrowed money, built stuff, and then paid back the loan?

Oh, yeah, I forgot.

Shout out to Niece Lori

Lori (aka Lori MacBlogger) is profiled in an upcoming Redbook article about making new friends when you're an adult.

Is there anything that coffee can't do?

• We learn from the Economist that several smart researchers have discovered that you can produce biodeisel from coffee grounds. It takes 5-7kg of coffee grounds to produce one liter of biofuel, which translates about $1/gallon.
• But, then, in another Economist article, we learn that it takes more than 1,100 liters of water to produce one liter of coffee. (It takes more water to produce 1kg of ground coffee than it does to produce 1kg of hamburger.)
• You can use coffee and Vitamin C to develop film.
• According to Australian researchers, coffee makes us more open (suggestible) to persuasion. 
• The New York Times reported that coffee may make you less susceptible to diabetes, but you might have more trouble controlling your blood sugar levels if you already have diabetes.
  
• You might run the risk of Caffeine Induced Anaphylaxis, A Progressive Toxic Dementia.
  
• Then, again, women who drink coffee by the pot full for a long time had a lower relative risk of hypertension than did women who indulged in one to three daily cup.
  

When pronouns go bad

In a story about saving two adult dogs and 15 puppies from a house fire in Golden, Colorado, we learn that the dogs were cold and wet from the dousing that was required to put out the fire. Firefighters wrapped the dogs in towels and blankets: "They actually didn't have enough, so they had to cut them in half to get them in blankets"

via Fark

Worcestershire Journal - Why Holden needs three pharmacy chains

Worcestershire Journal - Why Holden needs three pharmacy chains : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs: "Just a reminder that the good folks of Holden are struggling, bearing up under great privation, with only two national pharmacy chains (Rite-Aid and CVS) in town. A third, Walgreens, is under construction on Main Street. It can’t come soon enough."

[Note: Regular RoasterBoy readers will recognize this thread. I've posted this new one on RealWorcester because it's tied in with the retail development patterns that we see around the city.]

Get your Louisville Sluggers ready. It's seal-hunting season.

The Charlottetown "Covers Prince Edward Island Like The Dew" Guardian reports that the East Coast seal hunt opens in southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
What's more, it's bigger and better this year. According to the CBC reports that federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea set the annual harp seal quota at 280,000 animals, an increase of 5,000 from last year.
Meanwhile,according the New York Times, the European Union is considering a ban on all seal products. Russia has announced that it will ban the hunting of baby seals.
In the immortal words of Frank Zappa, Great Googly-Moogly.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, March 9

7:38 a.m. Deer in the road on Salisbury St.
8:55 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle on Terrie Lane; car left
9:19 a.m. Visitors on Quinapoxet blocking road
9:23 a.m. Wedding band found in back yard on Wachusett St.
12:28 p.m. Three parties in to speak with officer
12:43 p.m. MassHighway informed of two potholes on Main St.
3:14 p.m. 911 Car spun in road and is now disabled on Reservoir St.
3:33 p.m. Pickup truck stuck on and damaged lawn on Main St.
3:40 p.m. Disabled vehicles due to snow on Paxton Rd.
3:42 p.m. Three calls reporting slick road conditions on Paxton Road/South Road
3:56 p.m. Disabled school bus due to poor road conditions on Union St.
3:59 p.m. Disabled motor vehicles on South Road
4:05 p.m. Motor vehicle accident on Paxton Rd.
8:13 p.m. Loose dog on Main St.; owner advised
9:41 p.m. 911 Report of noises like door being forced on Reservoir St.; may have been plow

Tuesday, March 10

12:40 p.m. Suspicious male at door on Davis Way for check for Babe Ruth baseball
9:49 p.m. 911 Caller from Mayo Dr. says wife left after argument, can't find her; wife returned, says no police service necessary

Wednesday, March 11

11:42 a.m. Inquiry about Babe Ruth league contributions
12:49 p.m. Caller regarding status of tree cleanup; advised to contact DPW
5:45 p.m. Business manager to speak with police about an employee
6:04 p.m. 911 Caller reports husband won't let her in the house and is being rough with their dogs
9:05 p.m. Logging truck parked on Bailey Rd. with lights off, loading logs; waiting for log delivery in the a.m.

10:30 p.m. No power in half of house on Meadowwood Dr.

Thursday, March 12

2:46 a.m. Large pothole on Heather Circle

11:26 a.m. Report of white van removing something from roadway from caller's driveway on Quinapoxet St.
11:48 Van being driven suspiciously on Quinapoxet St. has returned
12:50 p.m. Caller concerned about disabled person using chainsaw; concerned for safety
1:20 p.m. Suspicious incident reported
1:46 p.m. Report of illegal dumping of barrel with unknown substance; reported to fire department; barrel contained sand
2:27 p.m. Injured turkey on Wachusett St.
3:35 p.m. Report of larceny; occurred in Dorchester
9:01 p.m. Caller reports dog she was dog sitting took off

Friday, March 13

8:20 a.m. 911 Several calls regarding car hit tree/pole on Grove St.; Mass State Police confirmed it was in Worcester
9:03 a.m. Caller about power outage
4:13 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in municipal lot
5:50 p.m. Party reports owner didn't pay bill for repaired truck
7:32 p.m. Parties advised not to ride bikes through lot on Main St.
742 p.m. Business van with doors wide open, no one around, on Main St.
9:00 p.m. Suspicious tractor trailer on Meadowwood Dr.

Saturday, March 14

12:03 a.m. Caller regarding tractor-trailer truck on Meadowwood Dr.
4:55 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle left running behind business in Industrial Park
9:49 a.m. Walk-in asking to take the wood off the front lawn of police station
2:45 p.m. Caller concerned about disabled neighbor using chainsaw
3:30 p.m. Caller claims there's a chipmunk in her dryer; given advice on who to contact

Sunday, March 15

12:27 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle on Reservoir St.
12:36 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle on Shrewsbury St.
2:52 p.m. Service lines torn from a house on Davis Way
5:34 p.m. Vehicle behaving suspiciously on Reservoir St.

Paxton

Monday, March 9

10:53 a.m. Follow-up on dog complaint
9:42 p.m. Two suspicious persons reported in Paxton Sports Centre parking lot

Tuesday, March 10

11:45 a.m. Caller advising that when she picks up her mother there is a sulphur smell, Grove St.
3:03 p.m. Walk-in to report suspicious incident that happened at Paxton Center School earlier in the day. Officer spoke with party.
4:27 p.m. Walk-in regarding issue that occurred at PCS earlier in the day. Officer spoke with party.

Wednesday, March 11

8:00 a.m. Frost heave, Marshall St.
11:08 a.m. Caller advising she received e-mail from someone in the United Kingdom requesting personal information. Advised caller not to respond and also advised she could report on the FBI's Web site.
11:29 a.m. Anna Maria reporting loose dog on campus

Thursday, March 12

8:21 a.m. Bobcat reported in Paxton Sports Centre parking lot, heading toward school.
1:32 p.m. Assist Worcester P.D. looking for missing male on foot, possibly heading toward a cemetery
2:56 p.m. Caller reports man showed up at house, claiming he was hired to do work at residence. Later saw subject on the same street, Asnebumskit Rd.

Friday, March 13

9:16 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Elizabeth Lane
10:51 p.m. Erratic driver, Richards Ave, headed toward Rutland. Info given to Rutland PD.

Saturday, March 14

9:19 p.m. Rutland PD advising there is an erratic driver heading toward Paxton, Rt. 122
11:23 p.m. Reporting party said he was walking his dog on Grove St. when a young female came running up to him, spoke to him and then fled toward Streeter Rd. An SUV followed shortly thereafter.
11:30 p.m. Holden dispatch reporting a driver traveling at less than 20 mph heading toward Paxton

Sunday, March 15

4:05 p.m. Gray coon cat at Worcester Memorial Park
10:29 p.m. Caller reporting her dog has swallowed rat poison. Called poison control.

Princeton

Monday, March 9

7:42 a.m. Public service, Sterling/Houghton Rds.

Tuesday, March 10

9:22 a.m. Public service, Town Hall Dr.
12:31 p.m. Suspicious incident, Hobbs Rd.
3:43 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Boylston Ave.
6:30 p.m. Public service, Sterling Rd.

Wednesday, March 11

12:53 p.m. Public service, Beaman Rd.
4:14 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Houghton Rd.

Thursday, March 12

10:25 a.m. Public service, Boylston Ave.

Saturday, March 14

7:06 p.m. Public service, Town Hall Dr.

Sunday, March 15

5:23 p.m. Public service, Mountain Rd.

Rutland

Monday, March 9

6:51 p.m. Traffic safety issues, golf cart in roadway, Prospect St.

Tuesday, March 10

9:50 p.m. Motor vehicle lockout outside Toula's Pizza

Wednesday, March 11

8:06 p.m. Person came to station to talk with officer, Main St.

Thursday, March 12

3:33 p.m. Person complaining about his neighbor who is shoveling sand into the new culvert, Oakridge Dr.
4:11 p.m. Officer wanted to discuss anger management issue, Naquag St.
5:53 p.m. Traffic safety, issue with dirt bike, Rte. 68 and Wachusett St.

Friday, March 13

4:07 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle with three young occupants, Nick Alan Circle
7:26 p.m. Person complaining about neighbors with minibikes, Jamie Ann Dr.

Saturday, March 14

11:01 a.m. Injured turkey in yard on Simon Davis Dr.
2:21 p.m. Request for information on Lemon Law, Main St.
3:08 p.m. Person locked out of apartment, Main St.

Sunday, March 15

8:01 p.m. Person came to station to speak with an officer, Main St.

Sterling

Monday, March 9

5:46 p.m. Report of white, matted, dirty dog picked up and will be taken to Worcester Animal Rescue League, Laurelwood Rd.

Tuesday, March 10

3:38 p.m. Caller reporting dog in his yard, Clinton Rd.
5:36 p.m. Disabled motor vehicle, two vehicles, one pushing the other, Leominster Rd.

Wednesday, March 11

12:02 p.m. Caller reports problem with skunk taking up residence under her shed, Worcester Rd.
2:18 p.m. General offenses, Leominster Rd.
4:18 p.m. Motorist reports small boy with backpack walking alone on the side of the road, Clinton Rd./Albright Rd.
4:56 p.m. Suspicious male playing air basketball, keeps looking into parked truck on Park St.

Friday, March 13

8:31 p.m. Report of greyhound in yard on Oakwood Dr.

Saturday, March 14

7:48 a.m. Motor vehicle breaking and entering on Belmont Dr.
8:45 a.m. B&;E overnight into vehicle, Kendall Hill Rd.
8:51 a.m. Item found in roadway, possibly from earlier B&;E, James Rd.
9:22 a.m. B&;E into vehicle, Malvern Hill Rd.
9:24 a.m. B&;E into two vehicles, Glendale Ave.
9:51 a.m.B&;E into car during night, Glendale Ave.
10:02 a.m. Car broken into, items stolen, North Cove Rd.
10:18 a.m. Car broken into during night, Oakwood Dr.
11:51 a.m. Truck broken into during the night, James Rd.
2:52 p.m. Report of burglary, Clinton Rd.
6:08 p.m. Car broken into, Glendale Ave.
7:28 p.m. Motor vehicle break-in, North Row Rd.

Sunday, March 15

1:32 p.m. Clinton Police report finding a safe on South Meadow Rd, Clinton
2:48 p.m. Caller has four turkeys in her yard, Leominster Rd.
2:59 p.m. Dead raccoon in yard, Hall Ave.
7:19 p.m. Motor vehicle struck and killed dog, Taft Rd.

Hometown news, if you can find it

This morning's Telegram front page has one local story out of four. I can understand that these are hard times for the T&G, indeed for all newspapers, so a slender, 24-page edition isn't surprising. Nevertheless, when there are important local stories, such as 3 city councilors pledge to vote for lowest tax rate, why bury them in favor of a wire service piece on DARE, the Dictionary of American Regional English?